Textile drafting apparatus



April 20, 1965 R. F. PIPPIN, JR., ETAL TEXTILE DRAFTING APPARATUS I INVENTORS REGiNALD F. PIPP\N .JR.

FRANK E. ROWE JR.

Filed Oct. 15, 1962 FlCu. E5

was i United States Patent Q 3,178,774 TEXTILE DRAFTLNG APPARATUS Reginald F. Pippin, J12, Spartanhnrg, and Frank E.

Rowe, Jr., Clemson, S.C., assignors to Deering Millilren Research Corporation, Spartanhurg, S.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 230,446 16 Claims. (Cl. 19-245) This invention relates to textile handling apparatus and more particularly to a textile drafting arrangement which provides for apron guiding and roll and apron cleaning, and which is particularly adapted for manufacture by molding.

It has been found most advantageous in an apron type drafting arrangement to provide guiding and cleaning elements for the aprons, which elements also serve to clean the apron carrying roll surface. Such cleaning and guiding elements, including cradles integrally incorporating such cleaning and guiding elements, are advantageously formed with two converging apron guiding surfaces which may terminate at the small end in a reduced diameter nose, and at the opposite larger end having a concave roll engaging surface which bears against the apron-carrying roll and cleans the outer surface thereof. The apron exerts a compressive force on the cleaning and guiding element at the nose end, and this force is transmitted through the element to the concave bearing surface against the roll. Since many of the apron carrying rolls are knurled or otherwise serrated to provide good gripping action on the aprons it is desirable that this concave load bearing roll engaging surface of the cleaning and guiding element be provided with as much surface area as possible. On the other hand, in providing for molding of these tapered cleaning and guiding elements it is necessary to provide for ease of mold release and to minimize the likelihood of warpage and provide satisfactory strength of the molded piece. It has been discovered that a most advantageous release and removal of the molded piece from the mold, as well as minimized warpage and good strength, can be obtained by forming the tapered cleaning and guiding elements with a tapered internal cavity having an open mouth at the large end of the element, and in which cavity structural ribs are provided at spaced intervals. Preferably, the ribs and the side walls of the element are of substantially uniform thickness, as this permits uniform cooling and minimizing of warpage which might otherwise result from substantial non-uniform cooling. This rib and cavity construction also provides for most advantageous use of materials with maximum strength. However, this rib and cavity construction does not provide the most advantageous load bearing roll cleaning surface, since the roll engaging surface area formed by this rib and cavity construction is relatively small. In order to provide the maximum load bearing roll engaging cleaning surface a shield having a concave roll engaging load bearing and cleaning surface is connected over the mouth of the rib cavity. Thus, the tapered cleaning and guiding elements may be most advantageously molded with suitable strength and little warpage with good mold release and removal, while also providing a satisfactory maximum surface area load bearing concave roll cleaning surface. The cavity-covering shield may cover only the cavity mouth, or may in some instances, if desired, take the form of a sleeve slideably fitted over the tapered base element with the rib cavity therein. In most instances it is preferable to provide only a shield covering over the mouth of the cavity, in which instances it is advantageous to provide for connection of the cover shield load bearing and cleaning element to the rib or ribs as by a pin and socket connection.

Various other features and attendant advantages will 3,178,774 Patented Apr. 29, 1965 become apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the illustrated physical embodiments constructed according to the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view in perspective of a drafting arrangement incorporating the present inven tion.

FIGURE 2 is a rear side view in perspective of an apron guiding and roll and apron cleaning cradle assembly according to this invention and as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view in perspective of the cradle of FEGURES l and 2.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of an alternative modification according to the invention.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the modification of FIGURE 4 in assembled form.

Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings, an illustrative preferred embodiment is shown in FIG- URES l-3, in which a running mass of staple fibers F is passed in a conventional manner successively between pairs of drafting rolls ill, 13, I5, 17, and 19, 21, the middle pair of rolls i5, 17 having disposed thereabout a pair of endless fiber control aprons l6, l8.

Inasmuch as the major amount of drafting is conventionally accomplished in the zone between the middle rolls 15, 1'7 and the front rolls 19, 21 from which the fibers proceed and are twisted into yarn or other desired twisted form, and since the running mass of fibers is also brought to a minimum size in the zone between the middle and front pairs of rolls it is most desirable that the fibers be controlled as closely as possible in this zone. The present invention facilitates this control by the aprons, while also enabling the ease of molding of the parts of the apron controlling and cleaning apparatus.

According to the preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention a cradle 23 is provided, which has four parts, including two apron guiding and cleaning elements 25, 27, and two corresponding roll cleaning and load bearing elements in the form of piano-concave pianoconvex shieids 29, 31 as shown in more detail in FIG- URES 2 and 3. The upper apron guiding and cleaning element 25 has two converging apron guiding and cleaning surfaces 25a, 25!; forming a nose end 25c, about which the apron to is guided. The surface 25a serves to guide and clean the apron 16 along its fiber control run while the surface 25!) serves to guide and clean the apron along its return run to the roll 15.

This guiding and cleaning element 25 also has side ears 25k which serve the dual purpose of connecting the guiding and cleaning element 25 to the guiding and cleaning element 27 as well as providing lateral guidance for the two aprons 16, 18 and maintain the aprons on the raised apron carrying surfaces of the rolls 15, 17. To this end, each of the ears 25k is provided with a socket recess 25f on its inner wall which is releasably engageable with a projecting detent 27 f formed on the facing respective side wall of the guiding and cleaning element 27 to connect the two elements 25 and 27 together and to provide for desired positioning of the two elements with respect to one another. This connection 25 27f together with the engagement of the elements 29, 31 with their respective rolls, serves to position the elements, including their fiber control run surfaces 25a, 2712, so as to provide the desired guidance of the aprons 16 and 18, and thus the desired control of the fiber stock F in this important zone.

The guiding and cleaning element 27 likewise has apron guiding and cleaning surfaces 27a and 27b which converge to form a nose guiding portion 270. As an additional aid in positioning of the two elements 25 and 27 with respect to one another, guide shoulder 25i, 27i, may be formed on the respective interfacing side walls of the ears 25k and the element 27 in most instances. In some instances a 3 it may be desirable that these guide shoulders 251', 27i not be precisely interfitted, but only loosely engageable, so as to permit the two elements 25, 27 to pivot about their connection 25 27] and to position and seat themselves primarily by this pivot connection 25 27 and the engagement of their respective roll engaging elements 29 and 31 with their respective rolls 15, 17. In such instances the guide shoulders 252', 271' serve primarily to provide for rough initial positioning of the elements 25, 27 with respect to one another in order to provide for ease of installation.

In order to provide for advantageous molding of the elements 25 and 27 each of these elements is molded with a core which forms a cavity 25p, 25p, 27p, 27p having,

an open mouth at the larger concave end of the respective elements, the cavities 25p and 27p having at least one rib, and preferably several ribs 25g, 27g, respectively, which ribs extend between and connect the walls forming the respective apron guiding surfaces 25a, 25b and 27a, 27b of the elements 25 and 27 Prefer-ably, in order to minimize warpage it is desirable that the external walls of the elements 25 and 27 and the ribs 25g, 27g, be of substantially the same thickness, although it will be appreciated that at some places it will be diificult, if not impossible, to achieve uniform thickness throughout, as structural strength or structural configuration may dictate non-uniform thicknesses. V The ribs 25g, 27g, also may advantageously serve as a means of connection to the load bearing and roll cleaning elements 29, 31, respectively. In the illustrative and preferred embodiment of FIGURES l3 the ribs 25g and 27g each have holes 25h, 27h, formed therein and which are substantially complementary to a corresponding plurality of similarly spaced pins 290, 310, formed on the load bearing and roll cleaning elements 29, 31, respectively. If

desired, the pins 29c may be slightly oversized to provide for a light press fit in order to provide for secure attachment yet ease of removal of the elements 29, 31. Also, these pins 290, 310, may be split to provide a resilient grip within the holes 25h, 27h.

The load bearing and roll cleaning element 31 is formed with side shoulders 31 thereon which serve to engage the lateral side shoulders of the raised knurled surface of the roll 17 over which the apron travels, these shoulders thus providing lateral stabilization of the cradle assembly 23 on the rolls 15, 17. If desired, the other load bearing and roll cleaning element 29 may have similar shoulders thereon, either alternatively to the shoulders 31 on .the element 31 or in addition thereto.

ments 25 and 27, in which case'the load bearing and roll cleaning shield element may be seated between the shoulders;

It will thus be appreciated that the cradle construction of FIGURES l-3 permits thefacile molding of the elements 25 and 27, as well as the elements 29 and 31 while also permitting ease of assembly of the plano-concave plane-convex elements 29, 31 with their respective elements 25 and 27, the two thus assembled pairs of elements 25, 29 and 27, 31, being readily adapted to be snapped together in apron guiding and cleaning and roll cleaning relation as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 through interengage- I Also, the shoulders 31 may be formed as an extension of either'of the ele-' ing and roll cleaning surface 43f covering the rib cavity are formed by the sleeve 43.

This construction is particularly adapted for formation of an element similar to the element 27 of FIGURES 1-3, and while such is not illustrated thereon the two members 41 and 43 may be suitably formed to provide side shoulders and detents similar to those provided at 27i and 27 in FIGURES 1-3.

The construction of FIGURES 4 and 5, as well as the general construction of FIGURES -13 may also be adapted to conventional cradle construction in which it may be desirable merely to provide insert elements within the conventional cradle spaced side walls, without utilizing the advantageous snap together ear configuration of FIG- URES l-3. In such instances, the apron-guiding-andcleaning and roll-cleaning elements may take the general configuration of the elements as shown herein in FIG- URES 1-3 and 4-5 without'the ears 25k of FIGURES l-3, and with smooth side walls for fitting within the parallel side walls of the conventional cradle. In such instances, it will not be necessary to provide stabilizing shoulders 31 on either of the load bearing roll cleaning elements 29 or 31 as the conventional side wall cradle will provide sufiicient lateral stability. Also, in such utilization of the invention it will be desirable to provide for location of the nose portions of the apron cleaning and guiding elements with respect to one another, and for this purpose a pin and bore connection may be made with the cradle having bore holes formed in its side walls in alignment with bore holes which may be formed in each of the upper and lower apron-guiding-.and-cleaning and rollcleaning elements corresponding to the illustrated elements 25 and 27, or 41. An illustration of a suitable mode of connection of such apron-,guiding-and-cleaning and roll-cleaning elements in a conventional cradle construction is shown in the copending application of Russell B. Newton, Serial No. 75,339, now US. Patent No. 3,132,384. Y

Various materials may be employed in the formation of the apparatus according'to the invention, including particularly those plastics which are readily moldable and which have good stability and wear characteristics, as for instance Delrin acetal resin, nylon and Bakelite.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the illustrative embodiments shown and described herein but only by the scope of the appending claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. For use in atextile drafting assembly having an endless fiber control apron and a drafting roll therewithin, the improvement comprising an apron-and-roll-cleaning and apron-guiding assembly within said apron including a first element having two converging guide walls and an open mouthed mold-formed cavity formed between said walls, and a roll-cleaning and load-bearing roll-engaging second element connected to said first element over the open mouth of said cavity and having a concave roll-engagingand-cleaning load-bearing surface extending across a portion of said roll.

2. The improvement accord-ing to claim 1 wherein said roll-cleaning and load-bearing roll-engaging second element is an annular sleeve fitted about said guide walls and over cavity.

3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said sleeve has a normal interior shape conforming to the crosssectional exterior shape of said first element, said sleeve be slideably fitted over the element41 to provide the as- 1 sembled construction as shown in the side view in FIG- URE 5, in which instanceeach of the converging'apron guiding and cleaning surfaces 43a, 43b and the load bearhaving two converging apron-guiding walls in engagement with the converging guide walls of said first element, and a concave roll-cleaning load-bearing surface disposed over the open mouth of said cavity.

4. The. improvement according to claim 3 wherein said first element has a reduceddiameter convex nose end opposite said concave roll-cleaning load-bearing surface for guiding said apron through a sharp reversal of direction.

5. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said second element has a lano-concave roll-cleaning and load-bearing surface and an opposite plane-convex surface, said cavity mouth of said first element forming a generally plano-concave seat for receiving said piano-convex surface.

6. The improvement according to claim 5 wherein said cavity has at least one rib formed therein and extending between said guide walls, a hole formed in said rib and facing said open mouth, and a connecting pin on said plane-convex surface of said second element and engaging in connecting relation within said hole for connection of said first .and second elements together.

7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein said cavity has a plurality of said ribs formed across its width, said second element having connecting pins in spaced connecting alignment with said pin-receiving holes for connection of said first and second elements.

8. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein said pin is adapted for light press fit into said hole, to enable secure connection and ease of separation and replacement of said second element.

9. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said cavity has at least one rib formed therein and extending between said guide walls, and a pin-and-socket connection between said rib and said second element.

10. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said converging walls converge to a reduced radius apronguiding nose opposite to the open mouth of said cavity.

11. For use in a textile drafting assembly having two endless fiber control aprons and two drafting rolls each within a respective apron, the improvement comprising an apron-androlhcleaning and apron-guiding assembly including first and second elements each fitting within a respective one of said aprons and each having two converging walls tapering to a reduced diameter nose end and an open-mouthed mold-formed cavity formed between said walls, and third and fourth roll-cleaning and loadbearing roll-engaging elements connected respectively to said first and second elements and disposed over the open mouth of the respective said cavity and having a concave roll-engaging-and-cleaning load-bearing surface extending across a portion of the respective said roll.

12. The improvement according to claim 11 wherein at least one of said roll-cleaning and load-bearing roll-engaging elements is an annular sleeve fitted about said converging walls and over said cavity.

13. The improvement according to claim 11 wherein each of said third and fourth elements has a plano-concave roll-cleaning and load-bearing surface and an opposite lano-convex surface, said cavity mouth of each of said first and second elements forming a generally plane-concave seat for receiving the respective said piano-convex surface of said third and fourth elements.

14. The improvement according to claim 13 wherein at least one of said cavities has at least one rib formed therein and extending between said guide Walls, a hole formed in said rib and facing the respective said open mouth of said cavity, and a connecting pin on the planoconvex surface of the respective one of said third and fourth elements and engaging in removable connecting relation within said hole.

15. The improvement according to claim 11 wherein at least one of said cavities has at least one rib formed therein and extending between said converging Walls, and a pin-and-socket connection between said rib and the respective one of said third and fourth elements.

16. The improvement according to claim 11 wherein said first element has side ears formed thereon and enveloping a portion of the lateral sides of said second elernent. and a detent and socket connection between said side ears of said first element and said lateral sides of said second element.

No references cited.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Primary Examiner.

DONALD W. PARKER, Examiner. 

1. FOR USE IN A TEXTILE DRAFTING ASSEMBLY HAVING AN ENDLESS FIBER CONTROL APRON AND A DRAFTING ROLL THEREWITHIN, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AN APRON-AND-ROLL-CLEANING AND APRON-GUIDING ASSEMBLY WITHIN SAID APRON INCLUDING A FIRST ELEMENT HAVING TWO CONVERGING GUIDE WALLS AND AN OPEN MOUTHED MOLD-FORMED CAVITY FORMED BETWEEN SAID WALLS, AND A ROLL-CLEANING AND LOAD-BEARING ROLL-ENGAGING SECOND ELEMENT CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST ELEMENT OVER THE OPEN MOUTH OF SAID CAVITY AND HAVING A CONCAVE ROLL-ENGAGINGAND-CLEANING LOAD-BEARING SURFACE EXTENDING ACROSS A PORTION OF SAID ROLL. 